Drying rack



June 1'4, 1927. 1,632,032

M. W. MCARDLE DRYING RACK Filed April 18, 1927 Patented June 14, 1927.

UNITED STATES MICHAEL W. MpARDLE, OF'CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

DRYING RACK.

Application filed.` April 18, 1927. Serial No. 184,621.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a simple and economical device adapted to utilize the heat from an ordinary steam or hot water radiator for drying small articles, such as towels, napkins, handkerchiefsor the like, and it consists of certain features and elements in combination, as herein shown and described and as indicated in the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of a rack embodying this invention shown mounted in position of use on a radiator.

-VFigure 2 is an end elevation of the rack in collapsed position.

Figure 3 is a top plan View of the same taken as indicated at line, 3--3, on Figure 2. l i

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the rack.

Figure 5 is a detail section taken as indicated at line, 5--5, on Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a detail section indicating the mode of adjustment of the rack arms in shifting them from operative to collapsed position.

In the 'familiar and practically standard form of radiator the outline considered horizontally presents a wavy or corrugated effect at the front and rear of the radiator, because each of the several sections is made with a V-shaped edge or face to provide a large radiating surface so that V-shaped recesses occur between adjacent sections. Therefore, in designing the supporting frame for a drying rack, I form it preferably from a single strip of flat metal bent double to provide two upright portions, A, A, connected at the to by a .short horizontal section, B. At C, the material of each of the uprights is bent outwardly at right angles and then downwardl at D, D, so that the terminal portions, FX E, are off-set and spaced apart widely enoughto embrace a radiator, F, in the manner indicated in Figure 1. Desirably to make the terminals, E, fit snugly into the V-shaped recesses between adjacent coils of the radiator, F, the flat stock of the strip is deformed to lgive it a V-shaped cross section at the terminal portions, E, E, and also at the intermediate parts, G, G, between the bends, C and D. Preferably this V-shaped section may extend through a portion of the height of the uprivhts, A, so that the V-shaped portion thus formed at A1 is stiened by reason of its angular form and constitutes a fairly rigid frame. The terminals, E, E, are clamped against the front and rear surfaces of the radiator, F, by any convenient means such as a clamping bolt, J, connecting the upright portions, A1,

i (l. The horizontal partsG, G, being of angular cross section rest snugly in the V- shaped recessat the top of the radiator.

For supporting towels or the like, as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 1 at K, the upright frame carries a plurality of rods, L, each engaged in one of the several apertures, M, in the cross bar, B, at the top of the frame. At its outer end each of the rods L, terminates in a ball, O, screwed onto the end of the rod to act as a stopwhen the rod'hangs in vertical position between the uprlghts, A, A, as shown in Figure 2. A t its opposite end the rod, L, is formed with a right-angle bend at P terminating in a flat stop or flange, Q, swaged from the material of the rod and having a surface extending substantially parallel to the under sideof the rod, but spaced away therefrom by the thickness of the cross bar, B, so that with the under side of the rod resting horizontally 011 the top of the bar, B, this upper surface of the flange,rQ, engages the under side of the bar, B, to hold the rod in hori` zontally extended position. The bent por tion, P, is a sufficiently loose fit in the aperture, M, to allow swinging a rod through ninety degrees in the aperture and then sliding it downwardly until its terminal llngall, O, encounters the top of the cross bar,

The structure as described is economical to manufacture and is readily applied to or removed from any radiator of standard design. As it is not essential that the parts, A, shall extend in strictly parallel position, it will be seen` that the terminals, E, E, may be spread apart or contracted through a' considerable range by means of the wing nut, J1, on the bolt, J, for fitting them to radiators of differing dimensions. Vhen the several rods, L, are extended in position of use, they will support the towels, K, directly above the radiator from which the heated air is rising and when not in use they may be collapsed entirelywithinthe outlines of the upright portion of the frame at A, A, as shown in Figures 2 and 4. That at a short distance above the bends, C

loo

is 'to say, the rods, L, being straight and hanging straight down :trom the apertures, lvi, in the cross bar, B, are disposed entirely between the uprights7 A, A, and between the planes which connect their adjacent edges; thus the rods are shielded by the uprights, A., A, so that they will not be swung or iiopped around loosely if the frame should be struck accidently when the rods are in folded position.

l claim l. A rack comprising a frame having parallel uprights connected by a cross bar and formed with oifset lower end portions spaced apart more widely than' the remainder of the uprights, means for drawing said lower ends toward each other in clamping engagement with a supporting structure, and rack rods hingedly carried by the cross bar adapted to depend therefrom in parallel relation to the uprights or to be extended horizontally from said cross bar at will.

2. ln the combination defined in claim l, said oset lower end portions being of V- shaped cross section flaring oppositely and outwardly away from each other, whereby they are adapted to tit the contour oir a radiator.,

3. ln the combination defined in clailn l, said odset end portions and the horizontal parts connecting them with the uprights be ing V-shaped in cross section to rit into the ttshaped recesses between adjacent coils ot a radiator'.

1i. lin the combination defined in claim l, said frame being constructed oi iiat stock with the lower end portions formed as outwardly open channels of V shaped cross section, whereby the offset lower ends are adapted to iit into the contour of a' radiator and the lower portions of the uprights are stitlened by such formation.

5. ln the combination defined in claim l., said 'iframe being constructed o dat stock and its lower portions being re-:tormed as outwardly-open lit-shaped channels, said Maanen means for drawing the ends toward each other comprising' a bolt extending through said channel portions near the offset portions and above them with a clamping nut on said bolt.

6. ln the combination defined in claim l, said cross bar having a plurality of apertures with the rack rods fitted loosely therein, each rod having an enlargement at one end abutting the cross bar when the rod depends in vertical position therefrom and having a bent terminal portion at the oppo site end adapted to extend through the aperture when the rod projects horizontally from the cross bar, together with means on said bentterminal to engage the under side of said cross bar for supporting a rod in extended position.

T. ln the combination delined in claim l, .said cross bar being of lat stock and having a plurality ot apertures with the rack rods fitted loosely therein, each rod having an enlargement at one end abutting the cross bar when the rod depends in vertical position therefrom and having a bent terminal portion at the opposite end adapted to extend through the aperture when the rod pro jects horizontally from the crossr bar, said bent portion terminating in a flange having a dat tace extending in a plane parallel to the axis of the rod and oiiset from the lower side oi the rod by approximately the thickness oi" the cross bar for bearing against the under surface ot' the latter to support the rod in extended position.

8. ln the combination defined in claim l, the hinge engagement of the rack rods with the cross bar being at a portion of said bar between the nprights so that in depending position the rods are disposed between said uprights and within the s ace between parallel planes connecting t eir adjacent edges. A i

lin testimony whereof7 I have hereunto set my hand this 29th day of Januar 1927.

Micra-CEL w.. MOA DLE., 

